Artist Diary: How to fill a sketchbook, abstract paintings, art books and inspirations

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In this video I show you the progression of my most recent paintings, I take you inside one of my sketchbooks and share a specific approach I sometimes use to start and fill a sketchbook….and share a few books I’m currently inspired by.
Books
Mark Hearld Workbook published by Merrell 2012, words by Simon Martin.
Picasso on Paper, a catalogue from the The Royal Academy of Arts 2020, to accompany the exhibition of the same name.
Brian Wildsmith, 123, first published in 1965, by The Brooklyn Art Books for Children. There is a website cataloguing Brian’s books, art and illustration www.brianwildsmith.com/1-2-3
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[@Bluebird_Legacy]

You have a lovely gift of describing your paintings, and your process: Which make your videos very interesting to watch Not only this, but the way in which you present your process, makes me want to run to my studio and paint! Thank you for sharing!

[@HelenWellsArtist]

Gosh that’s a super lovely thing for you to say. I’m really chuffed about that thank you 🙏🏼

[@charlotte3033]

I love the mixture of your idea development and seeing how the series of paintings develop as well as seeing how you interact with existing texts

[@HelenWellsArtist]

Oh that’s great, thank you so much for your encouragement Charlotte x

[@beinganeverydaymusician1902]

I love your sketchbook and your paintings. And especially the sweetness of your commentary. Thank you so much. 🌿

[@HelenWellsArtist]

Thank you so much! That’s a super sweet thing to say x

[@SN-sz7kw]

Always grateful for a new Helen Wells post. 💗💗💗

[@HelenWellsArtist]

Oh that's so nice of you xx

[@philnasmith9755]

Such a great idea on how to use all one’s little orphan pieces of art and try-outs. I am embarking on one of these 100-day projects and it will help with inspiration daily inspiration. Thanks Helen.

[@HelenWellsArtist]

Oh thats so good, hope you have a blast with your project, I'm always impressed by folk's dedication to 100 days. Good luck. Love Helen xx

[@wendytaylor5247]

Hi there Helen,I am thrilled to have found your videos on here,you are like a breath of fresh air ,I am watching your videos everyday and also doing the Mix it up Course which I am loving.Thank you so much for helping to free up my Art,for many years I worked as an illustrator and although I loved my freelance work I was always painting what clients needed not what I longed to paint which was Abstract.In the last five or so years I discovered mixed media and WOW,I love it so much,all the different mediums we now have at our disposal is just mind blowing and your videos are giving me the confidence to give them all a try,so many thanks Helen you are a very talented Lady,please keep the videos coming they are a Joy to watch ,Take care,Wendy x

[@HelenWellsArtist]

Wow Wendy, how very lovely of you. I’m super delighted by your kind response and enthusiasm. Thank you. And for taking my class, I really appreciate your support. Wishing you every success with your creative endeavours. Love Helen x

[@debraviccars7584]

Your videos never fail to inspire and amaze me. I can definitely see how you might have been influenced very early on by the counting book. I have added the Mark Hearld's Work Book to my wish list - thank you for including books that you are reading/inspired by into your videos.

[@HelenWellsArtist]

Wow, thank you! That’s mind of you. I do so love books….📚 xx

[@dolores2716]

Love your generosity with your inspiration practices and love looking at your work! I think I need to have a sketchbook page just for the art books you talk about. You always introduce me to artists I didn't know.

[@HelenWellsArtist]

Oh that's lovely, thank you so much Dolores x

[@vanessarobinson1080]

Hi Helen,It's interesting you should mention Mark Hearld.The first I'd heard of him was recently when in Tring high street.I saw some beautiful paper birds hanging in a shop window that he'd designed.Then I found a book of his in a charity shop called A First Book of Nature. So now I'm hooked! You showing his workbook on here has made me purchase it online immediately lol! Hubby can give it to me for Christmas. That's all i want these days and a few tubes of paint! Ness x

[@HelenWellsArtist]

Oh fabulous, it often happens that way, lovely synchronicities…love Helen x

[@deirdreeadie2835]

Morning, great idea re putting in bits of collage and going back to see we can create! Love it! Keep on inspiring! Xxx

[@HelenWellsArtist]

That’s a lovely reaction. Thank you Deidre xx

[@moelalondeart]

I love your enthusiasm! I enjoy your work so much and your book reviews!

[@HelenWellsArtist]

Ah thats so super kind of you! Thank you 🙏🏼

[@jdevereux9155]

Thank you Helen ❤

[@HelenWellsArtist]

You are most welcome. Thank you x

[@gailwhitter3293]

Another beautiful share Helen and wonderful idea for those of us needing a nudge of inspiration. Take care my friend.

[@HelenWellsArtist]

You are so welcome, thank you Gail for your wonderful encouragement. You are very kind xx

[@SB-qs9zu]

Always love you, your arts and techniques!! Will try this one for sure. Thanks! ❤

[@HelenWellsArtist]

Oh that’s so good of you, thank you for your lovely enthusiasm xx

[@lorrainesaliba5469]

Hi sweet Helen ! I get so excited when I am notified that you have posted a new video as I am sure to have a great time watching and refilling my inspiration mug ….although I must get a bigger as I never want to lose previous ones 😂 !! Your sketchbooks give me such inside happiness which I try to get into mine …thanks to you ! It amazing how I then enter my own world with my own colors and my stuff ! Ever so grateful to You sweet Helen ! Thank you also for sharing those lovely art books ! Flipping through them also gives me yet more ideas to use ! At the moment I am into collage and inspired by Picasso doing wonky faces ! I have set up a challenge for myself to do 100 until the end of the year !! I only started a few days ago but will see how far I get ….!! Just watching your video I get my happy vibes going !! So now off I go and get a few more done !! I wish you and your husband, love, health and happiness. I wish you tons of inspiration so you will have more stuff to so kindly share with us ! Hugs to you sweet Helen….Lorrine ❤❤😁🤗🌸🌸🌸 PS …. just purchased your new Class ! Thank you for the reminder !! I am sure I will love it as much as the others ! Hugs….Lorraine 🤗🥰

[@HelenWellsArtist]

Wowser! What a super lovely reaction Lorraine, I just love what you're up to, have fun with your 100 fabulous faces... what a great project. Happy creating and thank you so much for taking my class. Love Helen x

[@marybarnaby6162]

Great video, full of inspiration, Thank you

[@HelenWellsArtist]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much Mary x

[@peckerdecker]

Great video. Thank you for introducing me to Mark Hearld Mark Hearld- Very similar to artist _enid marx_ & Your sketchbook _Lost And lonely fragments_ fabulous illustrations and Nice collage work. Merry Christmas everyone. Happy 2024

[@HelenWellsArtist]

Oh thank you so much and yes you are so right there the work of Enid Marx and Mark Hearld share lots of similarities. Thank you x

[@ArleneAdkinsZell]

Thank you for sharing so many inspiring ideas! LOVE your top, I have a weakness for black n white patterns.

[@HelenWellsArtist]

I too have a weakness for a black as white top…I’ve had this one for about fifteen years and it’s falling apart but i love it so x

[@rikadehombreux4573]

💖💖💖 How interesting. I must try this too. I have tons of little pieces laying around. 💖😃💖

[@HelenWellsArtist]

Oh that’s great thank you so much x

[@louisegraham1874]

I loved Brian Wildsmith books too - the colours were outrageous in their day! 😊

[@HelenWellsArtist]

I totally agree! His colours are just brilliant x

[@kerriarista]

I love seeing the early inspiration of the 123 book! The use of bold beautiful colors are part of what jumps out about your artwork also. Thx Helen for such consistently great content.❤️

[@HelenWellsArtist]

Oh thats a lovely reaction! Thank you so much for the kind words...

[@marie-claireallington851]

I have never seen that counting book but I can see what you mean about an influence on you. Lovely video and thanks for not having a soundtrack this time :) I know everyone else loves them, but I have to turn them off - not just yours others too :) Music splits me and is too subjective when I am looking and learning :)

[@HelenWellsArtist]

Ah thank you so much...xx

[@andreatorraca8755]

Love this 🎨

[@HelenWellsArtist]

Thank you xx

[@colorexplained]

I love starting my day with your happy, bright colors and inspiring videos. Love Mark Hearld's inspiration spread and plan to make one for my sketchbook. I've been thinking about shapes and edges quite a bit recently, and the Picasso works struck a chord. I didn't know Brian Wildsmith' before watching. His colors are fantastic. I already went online to purchase one of his books and added a few more to my post-holiday shopping list. Thanks for the excellent video. Cheers!

[@HelenWellsArtist]

You are so welcome! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you so much. I just love the work of Brian Wildsmith.. x

[@SimoneWhippArtist]

Another great video Helen full of interesting things! I want to make an oddments and fragments book now! In my video today I think I mentioned you 3 or 4 times as I was recounting the courses I have taken with you this year. I have bought but not yet watched your latest course as I am saving it for Christmas! Your approach to art is very influential to me Helen and you keep my inspiration high! Thank you! x

[@HelenWellsArtist]

Oh gosh what an honour... I'm touched. Thank you so much Simone xx

[@SimoneWhippArtist]

@@HelenWellsArtist 🥰

[@anniekok9276]

Love your enthusiasm. First time watching your fabulous inspirational video. May i ask if you're using gouache or watercolours.

[@HelenWellsArtist]

Oh thank you and a warm welcome and in answer to your question o use Both! In the sketchbook I use all sorts, watercolour, acrylic paint, pens, oil pastel…literally anything I have to hand and the paintings were acrylic paint on wooden board x

[@suaisuai2010]

Very inspiring paintings. Thank you for sharing. Allow me to ask…How do u keep the papers so clean and the paints do not bleed through the pages?

[@HelenWellsArtist]

Oh my sketchbook is often messy…but it depends on the materials I’m using. I don’t use alcohol based pens which always seep through and the paper in my sketchbook is quite thick too…xx

[@MelodyMiroir]

Hi Helen, thank you for this video it was super interesting. May I ask you a question ? how do you separate the work of the artists you love and your own work? for example I love children's illustration, children's books, but I do quite wild art journal. in practice I don't really get any pleasure from drawing illustrations, creating imaginary worlds, whereas when I work with collage, magazines, fabric to make something raw, I enjoy it so much. Do you tell yourself that there is a style that you like but which is not for you and conversely a style of your own? what is the line between leaving your comfort zone to learn and staying there because it feels good?

[@HelenWellsArtist]

You can like all kinds of work by various artists but not want to emulate it or create art work in that genre. I think sometimes it’s good to try and unpick why you are drawn to certain art work… what is it that you love in their work…is it a feeling… for example I love intensity and pattern paired with spaciousness… and that is what I can then bring into my own work… without it being in any way similar to what someone else is creating. and I love the questions you are asking about comfort zone and pushing yourself. I think only you can answer that…my philosophy is to really tune into what you love in your own work and do more of it, but this involves having tried lots of things so you have the body of work to inform your decisions… questioning and uncertainty is part of the art making journey…but so is learning to tune into your own wisdom about when to push your creative boundaries…. Good luck x

[@MelodyMiroir]

@@HelenWellsArtist Thank you so much for your very interesting reply. I know what I love in your art : it's joyfull, but also they are so many details, we can stay long hours looking at your page :) It's fascinating. Now I know I can bring joy and details in my art too (without copy you) :) Thank you Helen, you are a very generous artist